CVE-2019-1848 in Digital Network Architecture
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in Cisco Digital Network Architecture (DNA) Center could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to bypass authentication and access critical internal services. The vulnerability is due to insufficient access restriction to ports necessary for system operation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by connecting an unauthorized network device to the subnet designated for cluster services. A successful exploit could allow an attacker to reach internal services that are not hardened for external access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/07/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-1848 resides within Cisco Digital Network Architecture DNA Center, a comprehensive network management platform designed to automate and orchestrate network operations. This critical security flaw represents a significant weakness in the platform's network segmentation and access control mechanisms, specifically targeting the administrative and operational ports that facilitate cluster communications. The vulnerability stems from inadequate port access restrictions that fail to properly isolate critical internal services from unauthorized network access attempts.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to be physically or logically adjacent to the network infrastructure, specifically within the same subnet designated for cluster services. This adjacency requirement aligns with the attack pattern described in the ATT&CK framework under initial access techniques, particularly focusing on network ingress points and lateral movement capabilities. The flaw manifests when an unauthorized network device connects to the designated cluster service subnet, effectively bypassing the authentication mechanisms that should normally protect internal services. This situation creates an attack surface where internal administrative ports and services become accessible to any device that can establish network connectivity within the restricted subnet.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with potential pathways to compromise the entire DNA Center infrastructure. Critical internal services that are typically hardened against external threats become vulnerable to exploitation, creating opportunities for privilege escalation and further network infiltration. The vulnerability's severity is amplified by the fact that it affects services that are fundamental to network management operations, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate network configurations, access sensitive operational data, or disrupt critical network services. This type of flaw directly impacts the CIA triad, specifically compromising both confidentiality and integrity of the network management system.
Security professionals should implement immediate network segmentation measures to isolate the cluster service subnets from general network access, effectively creating network boundaries that prevent unauthorized devices from connecting to critical service ports. The mitigation strategy must include strict access control list enforcement and network monitoring to detect unauthorized connections to designated cluster subnets. Organizations should also consider implementing network access control solutions that can automatically detect and quarantine unauthorized network devices attempting to connect to sensitive network segments. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of principle of least privilege and proper network segmentation as outlined in the CWE catalog under weakness category 284, which addresses improper access control. The attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol and T1046 for network service scanning, emphasizing the need for comprehensive network monitoring and access control policies.